Left 4 Dead: a Survivor's Guide to the Infected
by Bloody Koalas
Summary: Is your name Zoey, Louis, Francis or Bill? Do you find yourself plagued by relentless Smokers or Hunters? Is life just too hard to bear without a Molotov cocktail? Than this letter is for YOU!


Dear Zoey, Francis, Louis or Bill:

I am sure you are horrified, or perhaps delighted, by the prospect of being one of the four people left in Pennsylvania (and perhaps the world) to fend off a zombie invasion. You, surrounded by remnants of post apocalyptic America, must safely find a way out of the city. There are four ways you may successfully escape certain death. These include getting to the top of Mercy Hospital for a rooftop rescue via helicopter, traversing through a forest to a military hideaway, traveling to the city of Riverside in hopes of being saved by a passing fishing vessel, and heading to the local airport to make an aerial getaway.

Before you attempt to make any of the aforementioned journeys, I must warn you of the dangers. You surely have already encountered the traditional zombies. They are swift, but no doubt easily defeated. However what you may not have stumbled upon yet are the 'hordes'. Giant groupings of zombies, they are attracted by certain stimulants—light, high-pitched noises, certain smells—and are exceedingly dangerous. I urge you to remain a team during a horde attack. Teamwork will certainly be your only ticket to living.

Other dangers you will face in your travels are as follows:

-Boomers

Threat: Grotesquely swollen beings that vomit on Survivors when provoked and upon death, attracted hordes of zombies and temporarily blinding the victim.  
Survival: As a general precaution, view the entire area before moving into it. Boomers will often be waiting behind large objects, and spotting them before they've attacked will prevent a nasty situation.

-Smokers

Threat: Tall zombies that flit upon the rooftops and mountains of most areas and release their long tongues, drawing in their prey. Releases smoke upon death.  
Survival: Stay in pairs, if you must split up the team. One member can easily free another from the Smoker's grip. Also, the victim has an approximate time window of three seconds before becoming useless. During this time, a victim has full use of his gun and can shoot the Smoker.

-Hunters

Threat: Dark-clothed figures who crouch and are able to leap great distances extremely quickly to 'pounce' their prey. Once a Hunter has pounced, the victim is completely at mercy to the elements. The Hunter will rip apart the victim's flesh and cause substantial damage.  
Safety: Teams are completely necessary. Never go off on your own when a Hunter's approach is signaled—the only way to get a Hunter off of you is for a team member to either punch it or shoot it off.

-The Tank

Threat: A muscular mass of terror that has the ability to incapacitate a victim with a single blow. Tanks can also throw objects, such as tar and cars, at the Survivors.  
Safety: Teamwork must be utilized when dealing with the Tank, especially when incapacitation is added to the mix. At least three team members must be shooting at the Tank in order for it to die quickly and efficiently. If the Tank doesn't die within the first thirty seconds of it's outbreak, chances are it has killed all four Survivors.

-The Witch

Threat: A young woman with claws, the witch (when startled by gunfire, Molotovs, pipe bombs, bright lights, or close contact) will attack. She is much more powerful than she looks.  
Safety: The witch's sobs can be heard and are very distinct. If the team plays its cards right, the Witch can be detected and successfully avoided. If she is startled, gunfire on her must start immediately. The Witch will move from victim to victim unless she is killed.

Survivors, you have a long road ahead of you, no matter which journey you choose to make. Select your weapons carefully, use first aid kits sparingly, and investigate all areas. You never know what might come in handy. Note: try shooting things. Often they blow up and are very effective at treating hordes of zombies.

Good luck, all.  
--Hadley, Zombie Analyst.


End file.
